LGTBQ+ Affirming Care

close up of a woman's feet walking across a rainbow crosswalk.

What Does LGBTQ+ Affirming Care Mean at Samaritan?

LGBTQ+ Affirming Care: The delivery of equitable, compassionate and culturally responsive care that recognizes and supports the identities, experiences and health needs of LGBTQ+ individuals. Affirming care actively addresses barriers, discrimination and health disparities while promoting trust, belonging and positive health outcomes.

What Is Samaritan Doing to Be a LGBTQ+ Affirming Care Inclusive System?

Patient, family and community feedback is incorporated into the design and improvement of programs, services and care experiences

  • Pronoun Badge Buddies for staff
  • All-gender bathroom at many sites
  • LGBTQ+ cultural competency training for staff and clinicians
  • Partnerships and engagement with LGBTQ+ community organizations
  • Provider directories identifying affirming clinicians
  • Patient pronouns easily shown in Epic to help care teams communicate respectfully
  • Ongoing evaluation of our practices, patient experiences and health equity opportunities to identify areas for improvement. Patient, family and community feedback is incorporated into the design and improvement of programs, services and care experiences

Healthcare Equality Index

All five Samaritan Health Services hospitals have been named LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performers in the 2026 Healthcare Equality Index. The national benchmark evaluates health care organizations’ policies and practices supporting LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees.

At Samaritan, this designation is more than recognition. It reflects our commitment to ensuring every person who comes through our doors is treated with dignity, respect and compassion. We are proud of this achievement while recognizing that equity and inclusion require continued listening, learning and improvement.

Two men with arms around each other walking down the beach together as the sun sets.

Looking for a LGBTQ+ Affirming Provider

At Samaritan, we believe everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and understood when seeking care. Our goal is to foster an inclusive healthcare environment and help connect patients with providers who offer compassionate and personalized care.

See clinicians that have self- identified as providing LGBTQ+ care.

Find a Provider

Community Resources

Albany’s Pride resources

Jackson Street Youth Services

LGBTQ Corvallis

Mid-Willamette Transgender Support Network

Newport Oregon Pride

Oregon State University Pride Center

Out In Lincoln City

Out N About Youth Group

PGLAG Oregon Central Coast

State Resources

Basic Rights Oregon

circle-chevronemailfacebookSHS AffiliateinstagramlinkedinMyChart IconMyHealthPlan IconphonepinterestSearch Iconsilhouettetwitterxyoutube